Commenting on the expected government white paper on a high-speed rail link, Juliet Swann, Friends of the Earth Scotland Head of Campaigns, said:

"Suggesting a high-speed rail link from London that ends in Birmingham is like swapping a horse for a donkey mid journey.

"An essential component in making climate friendly choices open to all is investing in a high-speed rail link between Aberdeen and London. It makes a mockery of the government's carbon reduction targets to propose that the line ends in Birmingham.

"A UK wide high-speed rail link is exactly the kind of project we should be investing in to combat the climate crisis and the economic crisis. This half-hearted effort shows a lack of ambition and is profoundly short-sighted."

Notes to Editors

Friends of the Earth Scotland exists to help people in Scotland look after the planet for everyone’s future. We think globally and act locally in Scotland, delivering solutions to climate change by enabling and empowering people to take both individual and collective action. We offer help to people with the big things in life – helping to sustain a healthy society and environment. We believe that all of our children’s futures will be better because of what we do. www.foe-scotland.org.uk